Kennedy (surname)
Pronunciation | /ˈkɛnɪdi/ |
---|---|
Language(s) | Gaelic, Irish |
Origin | |
Meaning | Derived either from Ó Cinnéide meaning grandson of Cinnédidh, or “ceann” and “éidigh”. “Ceann” comes from the Gaelic word meaning “chieftain” (a leader of a clan or tribe), and “éidigh” comes from the Gaelic word meaning “helmet”. The name can be translated to mean “helmeted chief or leader”. |
Region of origin | Ireland and Scotland |
Other names | |
Related names | O'Kennedy and Kennedie |
Kennedy, with variant forms O'Kennedy and Kennedie, is a surname of Irish and Scottish origin that has also been used as a given name.
Origins
There have been several different etymologies given for the surname. One explanation is that the name is an Anglicisation of Ó Cinnéide, which means "grandson of Cinnédidh" or "grandson of Cinnéidigh". Both of these personal names are derived from Gaelic words meaning "helmet-headed".Irish Kennedy family and a Scottish Kennedy clan in Carrick, Ayrshire, which are unrelated to one another.
Another possibility is that Kennedy is an
Gaelic Ó Ceannéidigh, meaning "grandson of Ceannéidigh". Ceannéidigh is a given name derived from the Gaelic words ceann, meaning "head", and éidigh, meaning "ugly" or "fierce".[2] Some etymologies also suggest that the element ceann could mean "chief" or "leader".[3]
Name lists
- Alan Kennedy, several people
- Andrew Kennedy, several people
- Arthur Kennedy, several people
- Harry Kennedy, several people
- Jack Kennedy, several people
- James Kennedy, several people
- John Kennedy, several people
- Joseph Kennedy, several people
- Kathleen Kennedy, several people
- Les Kennedy, several people
- Martin Kennedy, several people
- Matthew Kennedy, several people
- Patrick Kennedy, several people
- Paul Kennedy, several people
- Robert Kennedy, several people
- Rose Kennedy, several people
- Terry Kennedy, several people
- Thomas Kennedy, several people
- Walter Kennedy, several people
In arts and entertainment
- A. L. Kennedy (Alison Louise Kennedy, born 1965), Scottish novelist
- Adam Kennedy (actor) (1922–1997), American actor, screenwriter, novelist, painter
- Adam Kennedy (musician)(born 1986), Canadian musician and producer
- Alexis Kennedy (born 1972), British writer and game designer
- Andrew Karpati Kennedy (1931–2016), Hungarian-born British author, literary critic and academic
- Arthur Kennedy (1914–1990), American actor
- Betty Kennedy, retired Canadian senator, television personality
- Bill Kennedy (actor) (1908–1997), American actor and television personality
- Cory Kennedy (model), American Internet celebrity
- Darren Kennedy, Irish television presenter, fashion writer and stylist
- Dermot Kennedy (born 1992), Irish singer-songwriter
- Diane Kennedy (1923–2022), British food journalist
- Douglas Kennedy, UK-based American novelist
- Edgar Kennedy (1890–1948), American actor
- George Kennedy (1925–2016), American actor
- Graeme K. (Graeme Kennedy), American musician
- Graham Kennedy, Australian comedian and television presenter
- Harrison Kennedy (musician) (born 1942), Canadian blues, R&B, and soul blues musician
- Jane Kennedy (actress) (born 1964), Australian actress
- Jamie Kennedy, American comedian and actor
- Kathleen Kennedy (producer) (born 1953), American film producer
- Lena Kennedy, English romantic novelist
- Leon S. Kennedy, frequent character in the Resident Evil franchise
- Les Kennedy (journalist)(1958–2011), Australian journalist
- Lisa Kennedy Montgomery(born 1972), stage name Kennedy, American political satirist and former MTV VJ
- Liza Kennedy (born 1989), Japanese model
- Louise Kennedy (born 1966 or 1967), Irish writer
- Lucy Napaljarri Kennedy, Indigenous Australian artist
- Ludovic Kennedy, British journalist, broadcaster, and author
- Margaret Kennedy (1896–1967), English novelist
- Martha Kennedy (born 1951), American curator at the Library of Congress
- Mary Kennedy, Irish television personality
- Merna Kennedy (1908–1944), American actress
- Michael Kennedy (1926–2014), English music critic
- Mr. Kennedy, the ring name used by American professional wrestler Ken Anderson (born 1976) during his time in WWE
- Mimi Kennedy (born 1948), American actress, author, and activist
- Myles Kennedy (born 1969), American rock singer and guitarist
- Nigel Kennedy, English violinist
- Patrick Kennedy, British theatre director
- Rann Kennedy (1772–1851), English schoolteacher, church minister and poet
- Roisin Kennedy, Irish art critic and curator
- Sarah Kennedy, British television and radio broadcaster
- Sean J. Kennedy, American drumset player, percussionist, author and educator
- Sheila Kennedy, American model and actress, Penthouse model in the early 1980s
- Sheila Kennedy (architect), American architect
- Tom Kennedy (television host) (1927–2020), stage name of American game show host James Narz
- Tully Kennedy, bass guitarist, Jason Aldean band
- William Kennedy (author) (born 1928), American writer and journalist
- William J. Kennedy, American writer, winner of the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for fiction
In politics and government
Members of the US Kennedy political family
- Caroline Kennedy (born 1957), American author, attorney and diplomat; daughter of John and Jacqueline Kennedy
- Edward "Ted" Kennedy (1932–2009), senior US senator from Massachusetts, married twice and father of three
- Ethel Kennedy (born 1928), widow of Robert Francis Kennedy and mother of Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. and other nine
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921–2009), sister of President John F. Kennedy; wife of Robert Sargent Shriver Jr.
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–1994), First Lady of the United States; widow of John F. Kennedy
- Jean Kennedy Smith (1928-2020), ambassador to Ireland; sister of President John F. Kennedy
- John F. Kennedy (1917–1963), 35th president of the United States from 1961 to 1963
- John F. Kennedy Jr. (1960–1999), attorney, publisher; son of John and Jacqueline
- Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (1888–1969), Ambassador to the United Kingdom; father of President John F. Kennedy
- Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (1915–1944), WWII pilot; eldest son of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
- Joseph P. Kennedy II (born 1952), US representative from Massachusetts; son of Robert F. Kennedy
- Joseph P. Kennedy III(born 1980), US representative from Massachusetts; son of Joseph P. Kennedy II
- Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington (1920–1948), widow of the heir to the Devonshire dukedom; sister of President John F. Kennedy
- Mary Richardson Kennedy (1959–2012), architect and wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Patrick J. Kennedy (born 1967), US representative from Rhode Island, son of Ted Kennedy
- Patricia Kennedy Lawford (1924–2006), sister of president John F. Kennedy, wife of Peter Lawford and mother of four
- Robert F. Kennedy (1925–1968), US senator from New York; US Attorney General
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (born 1954), attorney, environmentalist, activist
- Rose Kennedy (1890–1995), Kennedy family matriarch; mother of President John F. Kennedy
- Rosemary Kennedy (1918–2005), oldest sister of President John F. Kennedy
Other Kennedys involved in politics
- Alfred J. Kennedy (1877–1944), New York politician
- Ambrose Jerome Kennedy, American politician
- Annie Brown Kennedy, American politician
- Anthony Kennedy, US Supreme Court Associate Justice
- Arthur Kennedy, British colonial administrator
- Bela E. Kennedy (1918–2008), Michigan state legislator
- Betty Kennedy, retired Canadian senator, television personality
- Cary Kennedy, Colorado politician
- Charles Kennedy (1959–2015), Scottish politician, leader of the Liberal Democrats
- Claudia J. Kennedy, first female lieutenant general in the US Army, noted intelligence officer
- David Kennedy (Australian politician) (born 1940), Australian politician
- David M. Kennedy (politician), 60th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States of America, and US Ambassador to NATO
- Edward Joseph Kennedy (1851–?), Irish nationalist politician, Member of Parliament for South Sligo
- Gerard Kennedy, Canadian politician
- Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, Scottish barrister, writer and politician
- Hiram Raleigh Kennedy, American politician
- John Neely Kennedy, Louisiana United States Senator and Republican politician
- John Pendleton Kennedy(1795–1870), Maryland author and politician, Secretary of the Navy in the Filmore administration
- Judy Kennedy, New York state politician
- Leland T. Kennedy, US Air Force pilot twice awarded the Air Force Cross
- Mark Kennedy, American politician
- Mark Kennedy (police officer), British undercover policeman
- Neil Kennedy, Lord Kennedy (1854–1918), Scottish advocate and legal academic, Chairman of the Scottish Land Court 1912–18
- Nigel Kennedy (politician) (1889–1964), British barrister, army officer and politician
- Sir Paul Kennedy, British judge
- Seema Kennedy (born 1974), British Conservative Party politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for South Ribble since May 2015
- Sheryl Kennedy, American politician
- Thomas Laird Kennedy, Premier of Ontario (1948–1949)
- Vincent P. Kennedy (1824-1903), American physician and politician
- Sir William Rann Kennedy, British judge (1846–1915)
In sports
- Adam Kennedy (born 1976), American professional baseball player
- Alan Kennedy (born 1954), English footballer
- Alanna Kennedy (born 1995), Australian association footballer
- Allan Kennedy (born 1958), Canadian-born American football player
- Andrew Kennedy (born 1965), American-Jamaican basketball player, 1996 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP
- Ben Kennedy, Australian rugby league footballer
- Bob Kennedy (1920–2005), Major League Baseball player and manager
- Bob Kennedy (1921–2010), American football player
- Bob Kennedy (1928–1991), American football player
- Bob Kennedy (runner) (born 1970), American distance runner
- Brad Kennedy (born 1974), Australian golfer
- Buddy Kennedy (born 1998), American baseball player
- Callum Kennedy, English footballer
- Clem Kennedy, Australian rugby league footballer
- Cortez Kennedy (1968–2017), American football player
- Cory Kennedy (skateboarder), American professional skateboarder
- Courtney Kennedy (1979), American dual Olympic medal winner in women's ice hockey
- Dave Kennedy (footballer) (born 1949), English footballer
- David Kennedy (racing driver) (born 1953), Irish racing driver
- Dean Kennedy (born 1963), Canadian ice hockey player
- Edward Shirley Kennedy, British alpinist
- Fred Kennedy (1902–1963), English football player
- Gilbert G. Kennedy (1844–1909), Scottish footballer
- Goo Kennedy (1949–2020), American basketball player
- Ian Kennedy (born 1984), American baseball player
- Jeremy Kennedy, UFC Fighter
- Jim Kennedy, American baseball player, brother of Junior Kennedy
- Jon Kennedy (born 1995), Australian professional baseball player
- Joshua Kennedy, Australian soccer player
- Junior Kennedy, American baseball player, brother of Jim Kennedy
- Kenneth Kennedy, the first Winter Olympian for Australia
- Kevin Kennedy (baseball) (born 1954), American baseball manager and broadcaster
- Marcus Kennedy, American basketball player
- Mark Kennedy, Irish football (soccer) player
- Mike Kennedy, American college baseball coach
- Neil Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick (1926-1994), British Olympic sailor
- Nery Kennedy, Paraguayan javelin thrower
- Nick Kennedy, English rugby player
- Pat Kennedy, American college basketball coach
- Patrick Kennedy (swimmer) (born 1964), American swimmer
- Ray Kennedy (1951–2021), English footballer
- Ron Kennedy (1953–2009), Canadian ice hockey player
- Ryan Kennedy (born 1982), Canadian actor and model
- Stewart Kennedy (born 1946), Scottish Football Player
- Ted Kennedy (ice hockey) (1925–2009), Canadian ice hockey player
- Tim Kennedy, American mixed martial arts fighter
- Tim Kennedy, American ice hockey player
In other fields
- Adrian Kennedy, Irish radio host
- Alexander Kennedy, British civil engineer
- Annie Kennedy, American educator
- Benjamin Hall Kennedy, English classical scholar
- Bernard Kennedy, Irish psychoanalyst, poet, and priest
- Betty Ann Kennedy, American bridge player
- D. James Kennedy, American Presbyterian pastor and theologian
- Diane Kennedy, American CPA, speaker, financial writer
- Donald Kennedy, American scientist, public administrator, and academic
- Duncan Kennedy, Carter Professor of General Jurisprudence, Harvard Law School
- Edmund Kennedy (1818–1848), Australian explorer
- Edmund P. Kennedy (1785–1844), officer in United States Navy
- Edward Kennedy (c. 1905–1963), American journalist who first reported the German surrender in World War II
- Edward Stewart Kennedy (1912–2009), American historian of science
- Eugene P. Kennedy (1919–2011), American biochemist
- George Clayton Kennedy (1919–1980), American botanist
- Gillian Dorothy Kennedy, British speech and language therapist
- Ian Kennedy, Irish landscape architect
- Inga Kennedy (born 1962), Scottish nurse and senior Royal Navy officer
- Isola Kennedy(1871–1909), American woman who died after fighting a mountain lion
- Jennie E. Kennedy, American suffragist
- Joseph W. Kennedy, American physicist
- Jonny Kennedy, subject of the documentary The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off
- Julia Kennedy, British classical scholar
- Julian Kennedy, American engineer and inventor
- Kathryn Kennedy, California wine maker
- Margrit Kennedy, German architect and author
- Marion Kennedy, British classical scholar
- Marvin G. Kennedy, United States Navy submarine commander in World War II
- Myles Burton Kennedy, Furness ironmaster
- Paul Kennedy, British historian of international relations
- Rita Shugart, née Kennedy, American bridge player
- Robert Cobb Kennedy (1835–1865), Confederate operative who attempted to burn down New York City
- Stetson Kennedy (1916–2011), American human rights activist and folklore collector
- Thomas Francis Kennedy (bishop) (1858–1917), American Catholic archbishop
- William Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick (1896-1933), Scottish flying ace
See also
- Clan Kennedy of Scotland
- Marquess of Ailsa, held by the chief of the Clan Kennedy
- Kennedy (given name)
- Kennedy (disambiguation)
- Jasmine Kennedie
- O'Kennedy
References
- ISBN 0-940134-97-7.
- ^ "Kennedy Name Meaning and History". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
- ISBN 0-8063-0171-6.
External links
- Media related to Kennedy (surname) at Wikimedia Commons